KAMPALA — A growing political confrontation between Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba and Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi intensified on Thursday, with the two trading sharp words over the rule of law, political authority and Uganda’s history with the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).
The latest exchange comes amid Muhoozi’s increasingly vocal campaign to remove Ssenyonyi from his position as Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.
In recent posts on X, Muhoozi has argued that Ssenyonyi should be removed from the office and replaced by a representative aligned to the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), the political pressure group he chairs. He has also publicly called on Kasambya County MP David Kabanda to begin the process of removing Ssenyonyi from the position.
The comments have sparked debate because PLU is not a registered political party and does not hold official opposition status in Parliament.
Against that backdrop, Muhoozi on Thursday suggested that opposition figures would soon face political consequences.
“Semujju and Joel will follow very soon,” Muhoozi wrote on X, referring to former Kira Municipality MP and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) secretary general Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda and Ssenyonyi.
Ssenyonyi responded by accusing the military chief of surrounding himself with people unwilling to challenge him and warned that his alleged disregard for legal principles would ultimately have consequences.
“You are used to b00tl!ckers, that’s why you hate those who tell you the truth,” Ssenyonyi wrote.
“Again, your disregard for the rule of law is going to be your downfall…and soon!”
Muhoozi then escalated the confrontation with a direct warning to the Leader of the Opposition.
“@JoelSsenyonyi before I arrest you, let me educate you small boy. Do not compare me to the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) of Joseph Kony. We fought them for many years. I know what they were. If I was LRA you would not own your testicles today.”
Ssenyonyi fired back, arguing that his criticism concerned what he described as unlawful actions carried out while invoking religious justification.
“LRA used to commit crime in God’s name. You too offend the law and then tell us how you are a descendant of Jesus Christ, as if to insinuate that you do all the wrong you do in His name!!”
The exchange thrust Uganda’s decades-long conflict with the LRA into the centre of an increasingly personal political dispute while also drawing attention to Muhoozi’s continuing involvement in debates over parliamentary leadership and opposition politics.
Ssenyonyi, who serves as Leader of the Opposition, has frequently criticized what he describes as violations of constitutional principles and the rule of law by state actors. Muhoozi, meanwhile, has repeatedly used social media to comment on political developments, often directly challenging opposition politicians.
Neither man showed signs of backing down, suggesting the dispute over both the opposition leadership and broader questions of political authority is likely to continue.
Meanwhile, Ssenyonyi’s job hangs in balance as Muhoozi seems interested in removing him as leader of opposition in parliament, as reported Here.
Mugisha Muntu has told Museveni to do something about his son’s actions, despite previous insults from the military chief. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
